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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26093839">Of Wolf and Man</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mild80s/pseuds/mild80s'>mild80s</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Metallica</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Based on a Metallica Song, F/M, Murder Mystery, Shapeshifting, Werewolves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:40:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,777</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26093839</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mild80s/pseuds/mild80s</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She was a werewolf, he was a human. Their kind never mixed.</p><p>In Luna’s world, where everybody decides what’s best for her, she’s desperate to see what humans do for fun. Her lifelong dream of going to a prestigious West Hollywood club suddenly becomes a chance meeting with Metallica lead singer James Hetfield, a person who proves to help her see more of what life has to offer outside her bubble. </p><p>Struggling between living the life that was planned out for her and the life of abundant freedom with wild, carefree James, Luna explores the free world...while the threat of murder looms on the horizon.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Hetfield/Original Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Liberation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>October 23, 1991</em>
</p><p>My birthday. I was <em>twenty. </em>The nerves suddenly set in as the anticipation of what would be planned for me today would be allowed or not. My entire twenty years were filled with decisions made for my wellbeing, including where I could go, and who I was allowed to hang out with. It was the first time in my existence, and I didn't have to walk on eggshells for once.</p><p>I slipped on a yellow floral skater dress and a pair of black Doc Martens, an outfit that would surely help me to blend in with the rest of what LA girls my age wore. I wasn't knowledgeable about fashion by any stretch of the imagination, but I made the attempt by observing the girls I saw everywhere when I snuck into the closest city on the weekends. My family would be too busy to notice when I left with my friends, as long as I didn't go alone.</p><p>I made my way down the stairs of the grand log cabin my parents owned. My family made a deal with a few of the locals nearby where territory lines would be drawn, as they should've done a few hundred years ago. In return, we received a sizeable plot of land in which we could build dwellings and live in our own little coterie, without question or disturbance. If the locals wished to break the treaty, they would have to answer to our council.</p><p>Sitting down at the lengthy dining table, I was the last to join my mother, uncle, and other extended family members as well as a few non-blood members of our inner circle. Normally they would speak about anything related to the hunt being very poor at a particular time of the year, and the ways they could avoid going into town to converse with locals. But today, they knew it was clearly not the day to bring it up in front of me.</p><p>"Luna, I know today has been the day you have been patiently waiting for," my mother spoke softly, her mouth not raising into a congratulatory smile.</p><p>I took a sip of my freshly squeezed orange juice and looked up to meet her stare. "Yes, mama."</p><p>"You're finally twenty," she nodded and reached across the table to place her hand on mine, and I immediately cringed at the clammy feeling. I didn't make that obvious to her though.</p><p>"Yes," I swallowed thickly, my eyes darting down to her hand. My mother wasn't somebody to show her emotions in a jovial way, ever since the day of my birth...and the day that my father was killed.</p><p>"So what do you plan on doing today?," she side-eyed me. I knew she hoping I wouldn't venture out beyond a twenty-mile radius.</p><p>"Kaia, please," Uncle Arnou cut in with an endearing smile, always playing peacemaker between me and my austere mother.</p><p>One of the few people in our family that I could speak to was Arnou. He was every bit the opposite of my mother, in that he was tender with my feelings and quite solicitous when it came to my coming of age. He understood that in our family and families just like ours, being twenty years old was everything. Especially if you were a female.</p><p>"Arnou, I can't believe how soft you are," my mother derided him. I’d never understood her need to be so hateful to her older brother, especially since his level of compassion outweighed that of the rest of our clan.</p><p>He shook his head and dropped it, looking at his lap with somewhat downcast eyes.</p><p>Quickly I had to change the subject before more attention was drawn to him. "Mama, I'm going to...to West Hollywood. Tonight." I immediately started to lightly chug at the juice next to me, trying to avoid any of my mother's scowling. I knew her answer but I was hoping that it might be easier to swallow, like the juice that sat in the expensive crystal glass in my hand.</p><p>"West Hollywood? That's a thirty-minute drive," my mother scoffed and gave me a subtle eye roll. She still thought of me as a child, I always knew that to be true. I also happened to know who would disapprove of me going that far away from home, and I wouldn't like the conversation that would, most assuredly, end badly.</p><p>"I'll be good, I promise," I nodded quickly with a glimmer of hope in my tone.</p><p>"It's not up to me now, Luna. You know who you have to ask permission from," my mother nodded once and gave a look to Arnou. His only response was to give me a warm smile and pat my bony shoulder reassuringly. He didn't even have to speak to tell me that everything would work itself out.</p><p>I ate in silence while the other members of my family had more conservations, most of them being dry and tedious from what I overheard. We all enjoyed the full spread breakfast for a little while longer before one by one, everyone had gotten up and left their plates. I didn't notice or really care all that much since all I could seem to think of was the inevitable: the conversation and approval of the only person I had to obey for the rest of my life.</p><p>Making my way outside, acquaintances looked in my direction merrily and I returned their positive greetings and well wishes. Some noticed I was strolling towards the darkly stained wood house just a mile away from mine. The walk was much needed, according to my mother, who was always commenting that I "could stand to lose five pounds". I was already tremendously skinny, and I knew that it wasn't an issue. She just had blurted out whatever opinion she felt like, even if it hurt me directly. Ignoring my own inner pain, I continued up to the sinister dwelling.</p><p>Stopping to take a deep breath, the house looked at me with a sort of coldness. It never felt this way before, especially with the numerous times I visited with my family. There was a welcoming nature then, but now...I didn't know.</p><p>I stepped up to the door and use the wolf head door knocker that was screwed onto the black door. The echo of the knocking was prominent as I waited, looking around to see nobody in sight tending to the gardening or keeping the house beefed up with two security guards. <em>They must have the day off</em>, I thought.</p><p>I usually didn't bother waiting around to gain entrance to his house, but I needed the approval to venture out on my birthday. It would be my first legal night out as far as anyone was concerned.</p><p>Suddenly, the door creaked and the usual doorman let me in.</p><p>"Hi Laurence," I beamed and gave him a firm handshake.</p><p>"Ms. Blake," Laurence blushed lightly. "Mr. Lowell is just in his office, miss. He did not know you would be coming by."</p><p>"I know, I couldn't believe it myself," I looked around at the innermost of the house, which didn't do much justice to the desolate exterior.</p><p>Laurence led me down a narrow corridor, the dimmed lights making the atmosphere a bit more warm and comforting. Furthermore, I was always delighted to see the various paintings hung on the walls. It gave the space an alluring nature.</p><p>We stopped at a closed set of double doors and Laurence knocked gently. "Sir, Ms. Blake."</p><p>"Enter," he spoke deeply. His voice made me quiver, but luckily it was rapid and nobody had seen the discomfort I was feeling.</p><p>Laurence opened the door for me to walk in, and I pulled my shoulders back to correct my posture before I did so.</p><p>"Luna," he smirked and stood from his desk. He walked around the side and sauntered closer to me.</p><p>"Caleb."</p><p>The door shut quietly behind us and we were now alone. I knew Caleb probably had many things going through his head at that moment. He was always such a busy man.</p><p>"Happy birthday," Caleb whispered with a smile and pulled me in for a tight hug, immediately wrapping my arms around him out of respect and politeness.</p><p>"Thank you," I smiled weakly and inhaled his scent, which I couldn't deny, was quite lovely.</p><p>I pulled away from him after our lengthy embrace. And still, I knew his thoughts were on me.</p><p>"You're officially a woman," Caleb smirked, letting one of his hands run down to my waist.</p><p>"I am," I gulped and forced a smile up at him.</p><p>"Is there something you wanted to see me about today?," Caleb gestured over to one of the red leather chairs that faced his desk, which I gladly took a seat at while he took back his regal-looking seat.</p><p>"I...well...how do I ask this...," I muttered to myself nervously. Normally I would have formed a composed question no problem. But this time, sitting in front of Caleb and all of his dominance, it made me want to cower.</p><p>I cleared my throat and tried again. "I want...I want to go to West Hollywood for my birthday."</p><p>Caleb stared at me blankly, although I felt his eyes growing darker as he looked into mine.</p><p>"...if that's okay with you," I added with a shakiness to my voice.</p><p>He finally responded to my almost desperate request with a light smile. "Why would you want to do that?"</p><p>"O-oh," I gulped thickly, my eyes never leaving his out of respect. "Because I have always wanted to visit..."</p><p>"Visit?," Caleb tilted his head with almost an air of condescension. "Wearing <em>that</em>?"</p><p>I looked down at the cute ensemble I'd put together and then back at Caleb in a mix of confusion and hurt. What was so wrong with my outfit?</p><p>"I thought it looked okay...," I nodded a bit and fidgeted with my hands.</p><p>"Luna, look at it. You're distracting," Caleb scoffed and leaned forward to better examine her dress. "Stand up."</p><p>I looked at him with big eyes, not exactly processing his words as my nervousness had kicked in. What was he-</p><p>"<em>Stand</em> up." Caleb's tone was now stern and I saw him quickly rise to his feet. I followed his order and slowly stood up. My knees felt like jelly as the idea of what he might do next frightened me all of a sudden.</p><p>He walked around the side of his desk again and stood behind me, just an inch away from me. I could feel his heat radiate towards my exposed skin, making me feel a mixture of comfort and apprehension.</p><p>Before I even knew what he was doing, I felt Caleb's rough hands run up the backs of my thighs. I gasped at that and my jaw dropped open somewhat as they made their way to my ass cheeks, which caused me to slightly push back into them. I never went all the way with a guy before, not even a first kiss. </p><p>But this was different. Being legal now, I no longer had an excuse to say no to a man's advances. Especially Caleb's.</p><p>"If you go out in public like this," Caleb mumbled softly in my ear, "you'll have a strange man's hands all over your ass." He stopped speaking tenderly to me and took his hands away. I was now genuinely curious and the slightest bit needy for him to grab at me again. His touch gave my skin goosebumps, and it became a game in my head of where his hands might travel to next.</p><p>Caleb's hands gravitated towards my shoulders, which held up the straps of my dress.</p><p>"And what will happen next?," I mumbled gently, turning my head to get a small glimpse of him from the side.</p><p>Caleb leaned into my ear and breathed softly against it, gently pushing the straps off my shoulders so they fell loosely around my biceps. It wasn't long after that when his hands brushed over my breasts, the nipples poking out through the fabric at my excitement. "Do you even wear bras, Luna?"</p><p>I squirmed where I stood and tried to keep my composure as he pushed the top portion of my dress down near my waist, my breasts slightly bouncing out.</p><p>Caleb could see my frustration, I was sure of it. He circled around me with a smug smirk, examining all of my attributes and probably giving them a rating in his head.</p><p>Suddenly his hands were gripping my small waist and pulling my body flush against his.</p><p>I bit my lip and tried to hold in a moan when my exposed nipples rubbed on his t-shirt. And holy shit when he did that, they felt way more sensitive than normal. Almost painful...</p><p>Fuck, you've got to be kidding me.</p><p>I was <em>in heat</em>. No wonder I was craving him. Maybe he sensed it and he's trying to tease me. Why would he torture me like this?</p><p>God if he didn't fuck me <em>soon...</em></p><p>He leaned in once more and kissed the shell of my ear. "You know we can't until our wedding night, my sweet."</p><p>My hands ran up and down his arms gently as he spoke to me in such a tender way. "But we can do it now-"</p><p>"There's plenty of time for that," Caleb interrupted with a sweet smile as he helped me put my dress back on. I took a few short breaths and gained back my composure.</p><p>"Right now, you have to go put on another outfit. Or, I'll require that you have a chaperone."</p><p>"You'll <em>require</em> me?," I crossed my arms in disagreement.</p><p>I just turned twenty. I was supposed to have the time of my life, but here I was being told what to wear. And if wasn't the right length or showing too much cleavage, then it wasn't suitable for me to be out in public. Not in a million years did normal girls have to go through this.</p><p>"Luna, are you talking back?," he stared down at me, his eyes growing dark with a mild fury. I didn't want to witness what would happen when his anger would reach the maximum level.</p><p>"No, sir," I shook my head quickly and felt my throat tightening up.</p><p>"Good," he finally calmed and his irises were back to their normal gray color. "Please obey me and we won't have any problems."</p><p>I nodded in agreement and gave him a shy smile.</p><p>
  <em>He deserves a good wife who respects him and would never disobey his commands. </em>
</p><p>***</p><p>After assuring Caleb that I would bring a friend to keep an eye on me in West Hollywood, I was once again excited for the evening.</p><p>I walked a mile back home and immediately went straight upstairs to use the telephone in my bedroom. It was evident who I needed to call if I wanted to go out, because I knew other outfits I had would be way more revealing and Caleb wouldn't approve of any of them. Bringing a friend was the only option.</p><p>I listened to the dial tone for a few seconds before my potential "chaperone" answered.</p><p>"This is Sage," my best friend answered gleefully.</p><p>"Hey, it's me," I sighed softly and smiled a little bit at how happy she sounded.</p><p>"Luna! Oh my <em>gosh</em>!," Sage gasped softly. "Happy birthday!"</p><p>"Thanks," I blushed at her words, hoping she would make it even better by going with me.</p><p>"So what's on your agenda tonight? Are you going out?," Sage tried to sound calm, but I could tell she was excited for the independence I so patiently waited for.</p><p>"How does West Hollywood sound?," I asked with a smirk.</p><p>"Sounds good. I hope you have fun!," she beamed.</p><p>"Well, you <em>can</em> come with me, Sage," I chuckled weakly. "I need a chaperone anyway."</p><p>"Chaperone? But you're legal," Sage mumbled.</p><p>"Caleb told me so. Especially with what I'm wearing, he doesn't want to guys touching me. Especially not tonight," I sighed shakily.</p><p>"Oh," she said bluntly. "<em>Oh</em>!" I could practically hear it click in her brain as she caught my meaning.</p><p>"I really need you to go with me. It will be a lot of fun," I tried to convince her.</p><p>Sage had only been a year older than me and newly married to her husband Auden. But at least her husband was, thankfully, less strict and a lot more understanding than Caleb was. He reminded me a lot of my sympathetic uncle.</p><p>"Okay," she finally answered. "Auden and I don't have plans for tonight, so I'm sure he won't have an issue with me going."</p><p>"Oh, thank you," I breathed a sigh of relief into the telephone and tightly gripped the cord.</p><p>"What time?"</p><p>"Eight o'clock. Sharp. We need to catch a train to get there quickly. I'll meet you at your house," I nodded and quickly hung up before I could let Sage say anything else.</p><p>Excitement was one of the few words that described how I felt at that moment. Bliss. Euphoria. Liberation. Finally, I was getting what I always wanted. A taste of the real world before the rest of my carefully planned life would begin.</p><p>I spent the rest of the afternoon letting time pass as I waited for the moment I could walk out the door without parental supervision, and it was agonizing. The nerves built up inside of me as I pondered all the types of people I could encounter in the big city I always longed to see. The farthest I had ever been was Pasadena, so I was ready to step outside of the bubble that I called my world.</p><p>I slipped on my Doc Martens and a light wash denim jacket to complete my look. Originally I planned to slip on some fishnet tights to put Caleb's mind at ease, but just for once, I wanted to have control of my own body and what I put on it. Staring at myself in the body mirror, I was content with how I would appear to others and grabbed my purse from where it hung off of my desk chair.</p><p>I hopped down the stairs and strode into the living room where my mother sat reading a book. "What did Caleb say?"</p><p>"That I could go with a chaperone," I smiled confidently. "Sage is catching a train with me to WeHo."</p><p>"Auden let her do that?," she said in somewhat of a snobbish manner, but I didn't linger on it too much.</p><p>"Yes. You're forgetting that Auden isn't Caleb, mama," I sighed softly and looked down at my watch. "Look, it's five 'til and I need to walk over to her house."</p><p>I walked over to the door before my mother threw out her last word to me for the evening. "Remember Luna, be careful tonight. Watch the time."</p><p>"I got it, thanks," I grumbled quietly and roughly slammed the door behind me.</p><p>Strolling over to Sage's house a few minutes away, I said goodbye to my family and neighbors for the evening. They all wished me well and that I would keep myself under control, which I agreed to.</p><p>Sage waited in her 1981 Pontiac Firebird, honking a few times when she saw me. I waved at her in excitement, feeling overcome with joy and relief. I couldn't wait to get on the train and get far away from here.</p><p>Hopping inside, I hugged my best friend tightly and buckled myself in.</p><p>"Are you ready?," she asked gently and put a hand on my shoulder in support.</p><p>I didn't answer for a moment and stared down at my lap, trying to find the right words.</p><p>"...Absofuckinglutely," I finally raised my head to look at her with a big smile.</p><p>She nodded and matched my grin before pulling out of the driveway.</p><p>As we drove down the open road towards the train station, I smiled to myself even more. I couldn't believe it.</p><p>"West Hollywood, here we come."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. West Hollywood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>8:30 PM</em>
</p><p>We made it to the train station right on time and raced out of the car to hand our tickets to an elderly lady. She gave us a polite smile and tore the tickets along the dotted line. "Have a great time, ladies."</p><p>"Thank you," Sage and I said in unison as we stepped onto the metro, picking two open seats in the mid section. I eagerly stared out the window as the train started moving, my heart pounding through my chest in excitement.</p><p><em>Calm yourself</em>, I thought and then let out a squeal to get it all out.</p><p>I watched the beautiful forest scenery fade away and relief washed over me. For the next few hours, I wouldn't be surrounded by the isolating pines and only interacting with people in my inner circle. I'd actually be in the company of normal people with normal lives, who liked reveling in the night life of the City of Angels.</p><p>Sage drifted off for the majority of the train ride, but my eyes were still glued to the outside world. My leg bounced nervously at the thought of being in a crowded public space, especially in a city like this. But I welcomed the anticipation of the people I would meet, and the things I waited twenty years to do. I no longer had to sneak out on weekends to the city.</p><p>The sunset put me at ease for awhile before the darkness had gradually washed over the sky, and I knew that we were nearing our destination.</p><p>The metro halted after an hour and I rose to my feet, feeling a bit of shakiness in my legs. I was <em>here</em>, in West Hollywood. Looking down, I saw Sage still sleeping and I roughly tapped her on the shoulder.</p><p>"Wake up, we're here," I spoke gently as she stretched her arms up high above her head, her eyes opening quickly.</p><p>"We're in WeHo?," Sage furrowed her brows and sat up quickly.</p><p>"Yes, and we need to hurry before the train leaves," I chuckled weakly.</p><p>We stood up and filed off the metro one by one. Stepping off, I noticed the station was poorly lit and newspapers were randomly scattered all over the tile flooring. Men dressed in business suits were sitting with briefcases in their laps, probably making a long voyage home from work. Some of the women were dressed in flashy dresses and eye catching colors. I could only assume that they were on their way to join the nightlife, just as I had been.</p><p>Looking down at my outfit, I now pondered the idea of it my ensemble being bold enough. The bright colors made me wonder if that was the style and I was lame for not knowing it.</p><p>"Everything okay?," Sage nudged my side softly.</p><p>"Yeah, just...my outfit doesn't exactly look like...well, those girls over there," I swallowed and looked at her with worry.</p><p>"Sweetie," she began and put an arm around my shoulders as we walked, "you're not those girls. And you sure as hell don't have to be. From what I can see, every time I go into a city, grunge is all the rage now. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice In Chains..."</p><p>I looked at her and gave my head a tilt at her explanation. "Where were you going with that?"</p><p>"Well...look at your outfit. Your Docs just scream grunge! It's a great look, embrace it," Sage pointed at my slightly worn out boots and gave me a warm smile.</p><p>"So you're saying just...roll with it?," I shrugged at her.</p><p>"Exactly. Now, let's head down this way," she pointed to the corner of the sidewalk. We stood with another small group of people who looked to be going in the same direction as us, and went when the traffic light turned a blinding bright red.</p><p>I got butterflies in my stomach as we crossed the street, knowing that pretty soon, I'd be going to the club that everybody went to.</p><p>Sage and I were back on the sidewalk and walking about ten minutes in the pitch black night. It was then that I saw it, the bright neon sign glowing so furiously.</p><p><em>Whisky a Go Go</em>.</p><p>Music was everything to me. I would listen to hard rock and heavy metal as a way to rebel against my upbringing. Knowing that my greater purpose was to be a dutiful housewife and mother, I cringed at the idea of conforming to my fate. Embracing it would be a challenge, but as long as music was on my side, I would never lose hope. This club would satisfy my desire to experience the wonders of nightlife.</p><p>As we got closer, I noticed a line of jumpy, impatient people waiting to get inside.</p><p><em>Great</em>, I thought. I rolled my eyes mentally and looked to Sage for guidance on what I needed to do.</p><p>"Shit, how are we gonna get in?," I ran a hand through my hair.</p><p>Sage smirked at me and gave her head a little tilt. "Seriously?"</p><p>"Seriously what?," I furrowed my brows in confusion.</p><p>"Luna," she put her hands on her hips. "Use your body to get what you want."</p><p>"What?," I gasped in shock. Was she seriously suggesting that I have sex with somebody to get into the club? I would never.</p><p>Of course I say that, but with it being <em>my time of the month</em>, I might have to keep myself from fucking anything with two legs.</p><p>"Flip your hair, push up your tits, and sweet talk the bouncer into letting us in," Sage winked.</p><p>"Are you crazy?," I whispered harshly. "Caleb's the only one who can look at my body in <em>that way</em>."</p><p>"Is Caleb here right now?," she raised a quizzical brow at me.</p><p>"N-no...," I answered shakily, but I was sure that somehow someway, he would find out.</p><p>"Then walk your cute little blonde tush over there and charm the pants off of him...without actually taking them off," Sage giggled and gave my back a light shove in the direction of the club, eventually following behind me from a distance.</p><p>I sauntered over and adjusted my clothing to look neat and tidy. The man guarding the door was brooding, standing over six feet tall, with his beefy arms crossed over his chest. There was a sense of self-consciousness radiating through me as I walked towards him, wondering how in the world I would be able to entice him. My baby face was enough to make a man like him laugh at me and ask for my ID.</p><p>"Hi," I spoke softly and batted my eyelashes up at the Peter Steele lookalike.</p><p>"Back of the line," the bouncer grumbled at me.</p><p>My eyes widened and I looked back at Sage, standing a few feet away, giving me a thumbs up.</p><p>I shook off the rejection and tried again, adding a bit more sincerity to my approach. "What's your name?"</p><p>"Lady, I said—"</p><p>I immediately cut him off. "I have a dream. A <em>big</em> dream."</p><p>"Yeah, so?," he huffed at me.</p><p>"Music...is everything to me. <em>Everything</em>. I breathe music. It got me through hard times where I felt like there wasn't any escape. You have to understand, this is the first time in all of my twenty years that I was given permission to even <em>go out</em> to a place like this. And, it's my birthday. So please, <em>please</em>, let me in!," I gave him what I was sure to be a pitiful smile.</p><p>He took in my speech and looked around to see that the people waiting in line were listening to us.</p><p>"Oh, just let her in!," one person shouted in the distance.</p><p>"She's cute, let her go in!," a man called out.</p><p>I felt overwhelmed by the attention but happy that the strangers were so defensive of me.</p><p>The bouncer looked back down at me and gave me a heavy sigh. His hand reached over and opened the door. "You're lucky that it's your birthday, kid."</p><p>I felt my cheeks heat up in excitement that he let me through. "Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me."</p><p>"Just don't cause any trouble. You're lucky ya got in," the bouncer nodded at me.</p><p>"Why's that?," I looked up at him curiously.</p><p>"Metallica. They're only letting in a select few to watch their concert."</p><p>"M-Metallica?," I swallowed thickly. I should've done my homework about who would be performing beforehand. How could I not know that one of my favorite bands would be here, on this night, performing at the club I always wanted to go to? It felt like fate.</p><p>"Kid, did you not know who you were trying to see tonight? Or are you one of those groupies just trying to sleep with any band that comes through here?," he rolled his eyes.</p><p>"What's a groupie?," I tilted my head at him.</p><p>The bouncer gave me a little chuckle before his demeanor changed back to that of a serious one. "Just go in before I change my mind."</p><p>I nodded quickly and waved Sage over to come inside. We linked arms and made our way into the dark building.</p><p>I was pleasantly surprised at how average everything looked, from the unlit area where the concert-goers stood to the red leather booths where potential guests would sit and mingle. It looked like any typical club, and I liked how it wasn't overdone.</p><p>"How do you feel?," Sage leaned in and asked me quietly.</p><p>"It's...it's amazing," I put a hand to my mouth in amazement. "I just can't believe I'm—"</p><p>My reaction to everything I was seeing was cut off as I heard the beginning guitar riff to "Wherever I May Roam". I guess they must've started their set before we came in, which made me wonder how much time I had left to enjoy the music.</p><p>I quickly turned around to see Metallica, dressed in all black. It was a moment that made my heart flutter. My first concert with one of my favorite heavy metal bands.</p><p>James crouched down a bit to be level with his microphone. Watching attentively, I left Sage in the back of the crowd to get a better view as the beginning lyrics were sung.</p><p>
  <em>And the road becomes my bride</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I have stripped of all but pride</em>
</p><p>"Luna!," she called out to me, but I was completely entranced by the song.</p><p>
  <em>So in her I do confide</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And she keeps me satisfied</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Gives me all I need</em>
</p><p>James looked out to the audience and his eyes locked onto mine almost immediately. He gave me a look, almost as if he was baffled that someone like me would even show up. There was a sort of nervousness that washed over me as his deep blue eyes pierced mine.</p><p>
  <em>And with dust in throat I crave</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Only knowledge will I save</em>
</p><p>
  <em>To the game you stay a slave</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rover, wanderer, nomad, vagabond, call me what you will</em>
</p><p>He sang those lyrics, his eyes still on me, as if he wanted me to know something. I'd heard the song a few times and I liked it, but never really let the words sink in as I listened. Some fan I was.</p><p>But then it hit me. Did he know my secret? Did he know what I was? I was a slave to a curse...and cursed to roam the earth forever, never being able to live normally as others did.</p><p>My staring contest with James was abruptly cut short as someone tapped me on the shoulder. I swung around to see Sage, her brows furrowed angrily. "Luna, what the hell!"</p><p>"I'm sorry, I just—the song," I frowned at her and gave my best apologetic eyes.</p><p>"Yes, it's really good but—"</p><p>"But what?"</p><p>Sage stared at me with a dumbfounded expression, her eyes widened. "Hello? You left me behind in the back of the crowd!"</p><p>All I could do was sigh and hook my arm with hers. "I'm sorry. Let's watch together."</p><p>Sage shook her head and turned back with me to watch Metallica. The crowd began to cheer and whistle as Kirk played the intricate solo, and my eyes found James' again. He gave me a small smirk and nodded a bit at me.</p><p>"Hey," Sage raised her voice over the crowd, "the singer can't stop staring at you."</p><p>"Singer?," I mumbled as my eyes still stayed on his.</p><p>"The blonde one. What's his name? John? Jedidiah?," she shrugged.</p><p>"<em>James," </em>I corrected her and continued to gaze. "And why would he be staring?"</p><p>"I don't know, but you'd better stop," she warned me softly. "You remember that tall, dark, and handsome <em>wolf</em> at home that you're engaged to? Caleb?"</p><p>I shot a look at her and my shoulders almost sank to the floor. "Right."</p><p>Sage led us over to one of many open leather booths, as the majority of the club goers were watching the band. "So many girls in our pack would kill for the chance to be Caleb's wife. Literally. And you're over there making eyes at some singer who sounds perpetually angry. It's always the musicians..."</p><p>She continued to ramble on about something relating to my future with Caleb and how my mother would be so disappointed, while I watched on from a distance. My chin rested in the palm of my hand as my eyes looked at James again, who was no longer staring daggers at me. He was giving some suggestive glances to the girls in the front row, who were definitely well endowed when it came to certain body parts. I looked away quickly and shook my head.</p><p>"Are you even listening?," Sage rolled her eyes. "I swear you are so spacey sometimes."</p><p>"Yes, Sage," I mumbled and rubbed my eyes in frustration. "And who the hell are you to lecture me about my fiancé, when you suggested that I make myself look like a sex object to get in here?"</p><p>"Hell, it worked didn't it?," she raised her voice at me.</p><p>I looked back in the direction of James singing to the busty women in the front row. "Let's just keep our cool."</p><p>"Oh," Sage chuckled a bit. I could practically hear her smirking. "I see how it is."</p><p>My cheeks turned red and my head darted over to her direction. "No, it's not like—"</p><p>"You are such a bad liar," she laughed, resting a hand on my shoulder.</p><p>I looked back over to James once more. We must've been so lost in our conversation, because the band had already wrapped up their set for a break.</p><p>"We'll be back in thirty, folks. Don't go anywhere," James spoke deeply into the microphone before hopping off stage, striding over to the bar with two cheap looking women.</p><p>Sage and I continued talking for awhile before a shadow hovered over our table. I stopped mid-sentence of what I was saying before looking up at the tall figure towering above us.</p><p>"I noticed you earlier."</p><p>It was him. At our table. I thought he was being entertained by the two brunettes, but clearly, he was standing here. <em>At our table</em>. What was one of the most famous singers in heavy metal doing casually talking to us?</p><p>"You...you're <em>James Hetfield</em>," I spoke softly, feeling a lump in my throat. This man was making my stomach feel upset all of a sudden.</p><p>"Yeah, I am," James flashed me a grin and sipped on his beer. His white teeth and facial hair made him a sight for sore eyes.</p><p>What the <em>fuck</em> was wrong with me?</p><p>"I...I like your music. 'Holier Than Thou' is my favorite song by you— I mean <em>Metallica</em>," I blushed again. My cheeks felt like a space heater.</p><p>James nodded and his smile never faded as he stared intently at me. "Did you enjoy the new album?"</p><p>"Oh, absolutely! I've listened to it all the way through...twice," I spoke quickly, my heart racing immediately at how much of a dork I sounded like. <em>Just another obsessed fan</em> is what he was probably thinking.</p><p>"I'm glad you liked it. You must be a really committed fan if you got into Whisky with that crazy line outside," James raised his brows.</p><p>"Not really. I didn't know you guys would be playing tonight, actually. I just wanted to come here for my birthday, but I had to beg the bouncer to let me in," I explained quickly, probably sounding verbose in my response.</p><p>"What did you do to convince him?," he mumbled, but I caught a smirk on his lips.</p><p>"I just said it. I <em>begged</em>," I shrugged and looked at Sage in confusion. How clear did I have to be?</p><p>She sighed softly, looking up at James. "She's pure. Forgive her."</p><p>He chuckled at her statement and pointed at the open spot in the booth. "Could I sit?"</p><p>"Of course. The more, the merrier," I smiled softly and moved over to let him sit.</p><p>Once he got adjusted, he continued his line of questioning. I wasn't sure why he wanted to talk to me though. There was nothing special or alluring about my presence.</p><p>"So how old are you today?," James sipped at his beer and let his free arm draped over the back of the leather seating.</p><p>"Twenty. Finally legal," I beamed.</p><p>"...But eighteen is the legal age," James tilted his head, probably confused by my meaning.</p><p>"Not where we come from," Sage cut in with a little smirk on her face and looked directly at me. "I'm gonna get a drink. Lu, you want anything?"</p><p>"Oh, um—" I saw James' hand fly up to stop me.</p><p>"Shirley Temple. Tell the bartender to put it on my tab," he nodded at Sage.</p><p>"Who's Shirley Temple?," I looked to him with wide eyes.</p><p>James laughed a bit loudly. "It's a drink without alcohol in it. You'll like it."</p><p>Sage shook her head at me and walked to the bar. I put my focus back on James, who was now staring at me with dark blue eyes again. The same way he looked at me on stage earlier.</p><p>"There's something about you... I can't put my finger on it," James leaned in close to my ear.</p><p>"Oh, right. I'm not like those women who hang on your every word," I smiled weakly and looked down at my lap.</p><p>James shook his head at me and I felt a hand on my inner thigh. Immediately I grabbed it and pulled it off, feeling a sense of nervousness as my heart pounded through my chest.</p><p>"I'm sorry. I have a...fiancé," I cringed slightly at the words, kind of wishing they weren't the truth.</p><p>Wait, why the hell did I wish that?</p><p>"Oh...I'm sorry!," James quickly backed off and leaned back slightly. "I should have asked..."</p><p>I smiled softly and slowly reached down to take his free hand lazily rested in his lap. "You're a kind man, James Hetfield."</p><p>James chuckled and I felt the squeeze of his hand. "You're right. You definitely aren't like other women I've met."</p><p>I blushed lightly and looked to the side, carefully choosing my words before turning my head back to look at him. "I'm out of the ordinary."</p><p>"Drinks!," Sage called out as she sat down abruptly in the booth. "Here's your Shirley Temple. It's a girly looking drink."</p><p>I looked down at the pink carbonated beverage with two cherries at the bottom of the glass. "It definitely is."</p><p>"I told the bartender that it's your birthday so he threw in an extra cherry," Sage giggled and sipped on her usual Jack Daniels.</p><p>"Great. Now I have to wait one more year and I can have a <em>real</em> drink," I sighed softly.</p><p>James took my glass in his hand. "This is a real drink." Then he did something that I never anticipated. Taking the straw between two fingers, he took a small sip and set down the glass. "Nice and alcohol-free. What a way to live," he chuckled.</p><p>I stared down at the straw, which now contained some of James' saliva and even possibly his scent. Everybody at home would smell him on me, and it would be tough to explain that away.</p><p>I turned my attention back to James. "You...drank from my glass."</p><p>He chuckled and set my glass down, looking around carefully for somebody to come by. "He's not here, is he?"</p><p>"Who?," I furrowed my brows.</p><p>"The guy who's got you on a leash." His words almost made me chuckle and put a hand to my mouth to hide it. How punny.</p><p>"If you mean my <em>fiancé</em>, then no. He's at home. This is a girls night," I crossed my arms over my chest. "And where's your two large breasted companions? I'm sure they'd love to whisper sweet nothings in your ear."</p><p>James opened his mouth, probably to hurl a comeback at me, when I heard a voice coming through the microphone on stage. "James Alan Hetfield, you are needed for a band meeting!"</p><p>He sighed at that and grabbed his pint glass halfway filled with beer. "Damnit, Lars."</p><p>"Duty calls," I smirked.</p><p>As he turned to walk away, James took a swig of his beer and looked down at me with sincerity. "It was, um...good talking to you. If they gave out awards for the Most Fascinating Chick, I'd nominate you."</p><p>I smiled softly at him and felt myself blushing, lightly this time. "And if they gave out awards for Most Flirtatious Rockstar, I would definitely nominate you. In a heartbeat."</p><p>I saw his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed thickly. I took that as a sign that he let his guard down from my clever comeback and took a light lick from the straw that he sipped from. The faint taste of his saliva was sweet and I actually preferred it over the fruity flavor of the Shirley Temple.</p><p>"Thanks for the drink," I said softly, my eyes glued to his.</p><p>"Yeah, um...welcome," he nodded and stormed off back to the stage to be with the rest of the band.</p><p>"You...are incredible," Sage chuckled.</p><p>I laughed at her and sipped on the pink beverage giddily.</p><p>Sage set her drink down and looked at me with disbelieving eyes. "Luna, you are so blind that it hurts."</p><p>"Blind? Sage, I don't—"</p><p>"I haven't seen chemistry that strong since...well, never. But I know attraction when I see it!," she shook her head in disbelief. </p><p>"Oh, I know. Caleb and I have that. It's amazing how well two people fit together," I smiled at her as I placed my hand over my heart, thinking of the guy waiting for me at home.</p><p>"Sure, Luna," Sage mumbled lowly. "Whatever you say."</p><p>Looking back at James on the stage, conversing with his bandmates, I wondered if he was talking about me. It didn't even occur to me to listen in to what he said, because it didn't matter.</p><p>I was <em>not</em> attracted to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Shapeshift!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>10:00 PM<br/><br/></p><p>Time seemed to pass so quickly when you have fun, or so I thought. Sage and I were enjoying the Los Angeles nightlife like humans would. The only difference was, they didn't have a time limit on being mortal. <em>We</em> did.</p><p>Sage, my clan, and I were slaves to the moon. Werewolves, if you will. </p><p>Once a month, bones would break to form stronger, more durable limbs. Human-looking faces would stretch and contort to bring upon a snout and large pointed ears. The hair and eye colors of our human nature would be projected onto an ugly, cursed form.</p><p>I would not sugar coat my feelings to my clan, nor would I deny how I really looked at myself in the mirror. I would forever view myself to be an ugly beast, only my own flesh and blood there to love me when the rest of the townsfolk would inevitably run screaming. Werewolves and wealthy Altadena homeowners would not be a good mixture for anybody.</p><p>"Luna, that's your third Shirley Temple. Maybe you should lighten up on the sugar," Sage reached over for my perspiring glass but before her skinny fingers could wrap around it successfully, I snatched it away just as quick.</p><p>"Maybe <em>you</em> should lighten up," I slurred with a smirk, letting out a high-pitched hiccup like a giddy child.</p><p>"Wait, what- what the hell else is in this?" Sage raised her voice in slight annoyance, mustering up more strength to take the glass away from me successfully. Holding it up to her nose, she took a whiff of its contents before pulling away in a swift fashion. "This has a <em>fuck ton</em> of vodka in it, Lu."</p><p>"Are you my mother?" I laughed somewhat obnoxiously and stopped my borderline altercation with Sage mid-sentence. My gaze drifted away from her without a care in the world, scanning over the club-goers slowly before finding a sightly target.</p><p>
  <em>James.</em>
</p><p>The blond mustached man was now drenched in much more sweat, his black shirt clinging to every curve and contour of his torso. The sight of him on stage was enough to make my mouth water.</p><p>I had to get closer.</p><p>My last few brain cells could not seem to rescue me as my legs lead me to the middle of the dancefloor. Hips began to sway to Nothing Else Matters in an enticing manner, almost to attract James to me like a magnet.</p><p>
  <em>I don't want him, I don't want him, I don't want him.<br/></em>
</p><p>Repeating those words over and over in my mind like a chant, I nearly melted when his eyes caught onto mine for the second time that night. A familiar heat pooled in my belly at his sight, almost similar to Caleb's touch from before.</p><p>Soft cotton running over-sensitive, hardened nipples. Even the slightest squeeze of my breasts would bring me to a hasty climax. But one look from James was all it took to break my composure and gelatinize my knees.</p><p>"Hey baby," a raspy, deep voice called out to me. Unfortunately, not James.</p><p>"Hi," was all I could manage with an all too friendly tone. I sauntered closer to the dark-haired man who matched the voice. His eyes were viridescent, but their intent was debatable.</p><p>"What's yer name?" The man spoke loudly in my ear over the booming of the amplifiers nearby.</p><p>There were a few ways I could answer that. Either by telling a horny stranger my real name, or giving him a more creative pseudonym that could protect me and I'd never have to come face to face with the man again. I chose the latter.</p><p>"Stella," I batted my eyelashes at him, a hand gently slithering up his arm.</p><p>"Maybe I could getcha another drink," the man mumbled in my ear, higher in volume to overpower the music. His eyes traveled to where my hand was and gave a smirk full of sin. "What's yer poison?"</p><p>"Shirley Temple. She tastes good," I giggled as I felt an ensuing comfort around the man. My arms wrapped loosely around his neck as I took in his cologne, the musk notes weighing heavily on my nostrils.</p><p>The full moon always gave my natural senses the ability to heighten, even more so than the average human. I really did have a sense of smell comparable to a canine.</p><p>"Or maybe we can skip the drinks and let me dance on you," I spoke deeply into the man's ear, low enough to help him catch my meaning. I wasn't planning to fuck this man, or any man tonight. Still, I found myself turning and pressing my ass firm into his crotch.</p><p>"Fuck, baby," I heard him say, barely audible over the music. His hands slid up to bony hips and pulled me more into him before one hand freely traveled to the hem of my skirt and underneath to undoubtedly explore sensitive skin. That drew a soft gasp from my lips.</p><p>"Maybe you should lose the dress and we can have our own fun," he mumbled as his fingers found the elastic band of my panties.</p><p>Humming softly, my head tipped back on the stranger's shoulder. His proposition sounded good the way he said it, but before I could even <em>attempt</em> to give in, my heart suddenly began to work overtime. A telltale sign of-</p><p>Oh <em>shit</em>.</p><p>Not here, with innocent people who don't need to be victims to my involuntary <em>carnivorous lunar activities</em>.</p><p>"I have to- oh fuck," I groaned, my blood burning like fire as it coursed through my veins, rushing to my head and producing a whooshing sound in my ears. I pushed off of the lustful man, hearing a muffled <em>what the fuck</em> emitted from him.</p><p>"What's wrong, bitch? Not good enough for ya?" He suddenly turned irate, but it should've been obvious that this was his true nature. He was an attractive, all too eager man. That much was true. However, courtship was not on his mind. The pressing of his hardened cock against my ass before was proof of that.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I have to g-" A more than audible groan escaped me. My manicured nails began growing long at an excruciatingly slow rate, <em>splitting open</em>, as more rounded claws took their place. The throbbing of my nail beds was hard to ignore, as was the blood, and I clenched my fists as I tried to hide the change.</p><p>"Yer not going anywhere," he growled, wrapping his fingers around my biceps like a vise. I whimpered in fear, hoping the beast that was ripping me open wouldn't impose its fury on the man. No matter how brash he was, the man was still innocent.</p><p>"Please!," I moaned as my head tipped back. My eyes were the next to change, and that too came with an agonizing burn. My hunter green irises felt like circlets of fire before shifting to a bold shade of emerald.</p><p>My face met his again, and the O shape of the man's mouth expressed exactly what I expected. He was bewildered at my slow transformation, my eyes changing color right before him like a lab experiment gone wrong. I was probably Frankenstein's monster to him.</p><p>His aggressive grip was loosened on me just as Sage had found me in the sea of concert-goers. Her eyes were widened, and a dark sapphire shade took up her irises in place of the usual baby blue.</p><p>"Luna, let's go!" Sage growled at me, clearly irritated. Grabbing my arm at inhuman strength, she dragged me along through the crowd and towards the neon red exit sign. Before I got away from Whisky a Go Go, my head quickly flicked in the direction of the stage.</p><p>I was able to catch a glimpse of the alluring James Hetfield for only a few seconds, in my mind it being much more like an eternity before we were out the door and into an empty back alleyway. I was panting heavily now, my whimpers growing louder as I felt my ears and snout growing, the bones in my face breaking. I was in seemingly endless anguish.</p><p>"We have to get out of h-" Sage tried to get out a full sentence before she was brought to her knees, her feet growing three sizes. She screamed in excruciating pain as she got onto all fours. "Go! Get out of here! I'll get home safely."</p><p>I didn't question her reasoning and instead gave a simple nod before I took off into a meteoric sprint. My shift was always slower than Sage's, which made me grateful on a night like this. The streets were anything but empty, but they weren't crowded either.</p><p>Luck? On a full moon? Must be a <em>blue</em> moon.</p><p>I made my way to the edge of the forest in the span of three minutes—thanks, unfortunate werewolf powers—and quickly went through the motions of a usual shift. First and foremost, I stripped down to my birthday suit. Clothing would always be hidden somewhere nearby, like a rock or a bush. Somewhere that I could remember in my human form and come back to by morning. My boots were quickly undone, and the laces pulled loose with a bit of slack so I could wiggle out of them before my feet grew a few sizes too big. No way was I risking ruining my only pair of Doc Martens, even if they were quite worn in.</p><p>Quickly I threw my dress, boots, and other garments in a small crevice between a Coulter pine and a rock before my transformation sped up. I was alerted that this was happening as soon as the bones in my back started to snap like thin tree branches.</p><p>Tears streamed down my cheeks as I felt the rest of my body break, and the worst of it all was the small little fractures in my spine. <em>Always</em>. They traveled all the way up to my neck, and this made it no longer possible to stand on my human legs.</p><p>Falling onto all fours, I thought about my transformation being the painful reminder as to why I never shifted voluntarily. Who would subject themselves to this kind of torture? Why would anyone want to be a freak of nature when they could be human?</p><p>All I seemed to crave in this world was true love and a cure to lycanthropy. I could only have one of those things, unfortunately.</p><p>My transformation completed, and the mind of the beast took over. My rational thinking and ability to make decisions were no longer there. My human form was trapped in a temporary prison. If I had potentially harmed anybody, there was no way for me to remember it.</p><p>No control.</p><p>The wolf form sprinted off deeper into the woods, in search of a good hunt perhaps. Bobcats and mountain lions, among many of the fauna in the Angeles National Forest, always seemed to satisfy the beast.</p><p>As it ran further away, the beast could hear that in the distance, Metallica had been playing Of Wolf and Man.</p><p>In the mind of the beast, where I resided, I smiled to myself.</p><p>Huh. Fitting.</p><p>***</p><p>The morning came slowly, and the beast had tired itself out. I could never seem to remember its activities, as that was a chore that my mind could not keep up with until sunrise. Until my body was able to come back to its human form.</p><p>My eyes crept open and the beauty of an orange sunrise tinged with yellow was there to greet me. I slowly propped myself up onto my forearms, looking around to see just how deep I was into the forest I was. Surrounded by bigcone Douglas-firs and the beautiful simplicity of the California walnut trees, I knew I wasn't in a shallow territory. But I was close to home.</p><p>Thank. Fucking. God.</p><p>I sat up too quickly, and post-shift vertigo hit me like a tidal wave. Doubling over I vomited up clear stomach acid, as well as a few undigested bits of—</p><p>"Deer. Fucking typical." Spitting out the foul taste of more stomach remnants, I slowly came to a stand and looked around.</p><p>Where did I put my clothes again? Somewhere close, right?</p><p>Taking a deep inhale through the nose, I picked up the scent of my clothing and quickly made my way in the exact direction. As if a compass had pointed me right to it.</p><p>Branches and dried leaves crunched under the impact of my feet for about a mile before the small hole that held my clothes and boots, unharmed by my transformation.</p><p>If I rip another dress to shreds one more time, Mom will kill me. Literally.</p><p>Before I thought to put my clothes back on, I caught a whiff of my breath and my hands stained with dried blood. The foul stench of deer and other unknown animals lingered on me, and I knew right then; I needed to bath before going home.</p><p>I walked not half a mile towards my house before finding a small clearing. A shallow stream glistened in the light and ran through a field of rich green grass. The babbling of the water was calming, completely peaceful. Perhaps one of the most serene moments I'd had in my twenty years of life.</p><p>I walked to the edge of the stream and placed my clothes in a dry area on the grass. Squatting down to test the temperature of the water, my fingertips grazed the surface playfully before cupping it in my hands.</p><p>I scrubbed at my hands and face for a good minute, trying to remove any trace of my crimes before my family saw me. My skin was now pink from the aggressive cleaning.</p><p>I stood up and grabbed my underwear to put on, and before the dress could come next, I heard the crunch of rustled leaves from behind me. <em>Five hundred feet</em> behind me. This wouldn't be anything new to me, my hearing was always heightened.</p><p>Except for the fact that the footsteps I'd heard were not your typical woodland creature. I knew they were human.</p><p>Somebody was watching me.</p><p>I picked up my dress and pulled it on over my head before grabbing my boots and running off in the direction of my house, not daring to look back.</p><p>Two miles later, I was walking in the soft grass of the meadow where we resided. Wandering down the long path to my house, I hoped that nobody had noticed that I didn't make it home before the full moon. The vision of my mother, all red with anger for not being careful enough, more than frightened me now. It made me hesitant to even walk in through the front door.</p><p>But of course, I had to face the music. Gently twisting the doorknob in my grip, I pushed in lightly and let the little whine of the door hinges pass before I shimmied in through the small angle of the opening. I tiptoed in on the freshly polished wood flooring and to the matching staircase.</p><p>And of course, I was foolish enough to think nobody would notice that I hadn't returned.</p><p>"Luna."</p><p>The stern tone of voice in my mother gave me goosebumps and, slowly, I turned to face her. The look of guilt was more than likely written all over my face. "Hey, mama."</p><p>"Where did you go?" She crossed her arms.</p><p>"Oh," my voice stuttered slightly, probably already caught in a lie. Might as well let it play out. "Just for a walk. I found a freshwater stream a few miles away, wanted to dip-"</p><p>"Did Sage or Caleb go with you?"</p><p>My eyes darted away from hers, scanning the wood-paneled ceiling. </p><p>"Luna, I asked you a question. Who did you go with?" My mother quickly made her way to stand in front of me, cupping my chin firmly with one hand.</p><p>"I went alone! Why does it matter!," I whined almost childishly. Her eyes grew darker, pupils blown wide in anger.</p><p>I quickly blinked tears away as the palm of my mother's hand slammed into my cheekbone with too much power. I clutched my cheek and looked at her in shock.</p><p>She <em>hit</em> me. She actually hit me.</p><p>"You know my rules. You know Caleb's rules," Mom tilted her head, almost condescendingly.</p><p>I could've shot back with some sort of clever comeback but instead, I gave a slight nod of my head and rubbed my cheek to soothe the burn. "I'm sorry, mama. Slipped my mind."</p><p>Her face softened almost immediately and a hand rested on my shoulder, almost like motherly comfort. My mother's mood had flipped on a dime. "Go take a proper shower. You smell like entrails, sweetie." </p><p>Giving a nod, equal parts of sadness and acceptance, I wasted no time in jogging upstairs to my bathroom for a hot shower. I stripped down to my naked body once more and stepped under the warm spray of water.</p><p>After scrubbing my body with the generic drugstore soap that smelled heavily of cherry blossom, I squeezed the leftover water out of my hair and stepped out in front of the mirror across from the bathtub.</p><p>I gently detangled my hair and brushed my teeth with the extra strength spearmint paste. I looked cleaner, felt like it too. It got rid of the traces of what the wolf had partaken in and that was <em>hopefully</em> enough to rid me, and everyone in my family, of the evidence.</p><p>After picking out one of my many floral skater dresses and a pair of sheer black stockings that hit a few inches above the knee, I ran downstairs to make myself a few slices of toast and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl before joining my family in the small dining room. </p><p>Everybody was quiet, mumbling only a few words amongst each other. Then the clanking of knives and forks against porcelain plates. It seemed awkward to bring anything up with the silence hanging in the air, so I resorted to keeping to myself and eating breakfast in peace.</p><p>After discarding the scraps of my meal, I joined my family in the living room for some quiet time in front of the tube. One of my cousins, Alina, was annoyingly flipping through channels before her younger brother wrestled her to the ground for possession of the remote. I found it funny to watch their shenanigans play out, and I almost forgot that the TV was on.</p><p>Almost.</p><p>The channel that happened to be on was the local news network.</p><p>
  <em> <strong>THIS IS AN ABC7 SPECIAL REPORT</strong></em>
</p><p>My head darted over in the direction of the screen and my brows furrowed with immediate worry. We rarely had breaking news reports, especially in the small towns surrounding the forest. "Hey, turn it up, Alina."</p><p>She quickly ceased the playful fight with her brother and clicked the volume button up.</p><p>"<em>Good morning, I'm Vivian Lewis of ABC7 Los Angeles. This morning, we have a breaking story out of Claremont where the body o</em>f <em>a twenty-five-year-old man was found mauled to death by an unknown animal. Tom Peters is live on the scene in Claremont. Tom."</em></p><p>A few seconds of silence passed before the second reporter had received the feedback and he began to elaborate on the situation.</p><p>
  <em>"Thank you, Vivian. I'm here at the home of the twenty-five-year-old victim, whom investigators have now officially verified as Michael Green."</em>
</p><p>After his name was verified, a few photos of the man popped up on the slightly fuzzy color screen. But I knew the face right away.</p><p>
  <em>“Green was last seen alive by friends before midnight at Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood. They say that he notified them that he was going back home, and was then found dead at around five this morning. Investigators believe that Green was killed sometime between twelve and five in the morning, but no final determinations have been made yet. Reporting live in Claremont, I'm Tom Peters. ABC7 Los Angeles."</em>
</p><p>"Turn that off," I said without emotion, my face staring blankly off into space. I stood up shakily and turned to go to my room.</p><p>"Luna? What's-," Uncle Arnou tried to ask what was wrong, but was immediately cut off as I stampeded up the stairs.</p><p>I couldn't stop. No matter how much I wanted to speak or react to the situation at hand, my feet lead me to my bedroom and away from the rest of the world. Except—</p><p>"Hello?" Sage sounded jovial through the phone, but I was on the verge of tears.</p><p>"Hey," I whimpered softly and rubbed at my nose.</p><p>"Luna, what's wrong?" </p><p>"Sage, it's bad...it is <em>really</em> bad," I said, trying not to let my voice shake violently.</p><p>"Okay...okay. What did you do?"</p><p>I stayed silent, only letting my sniffles come through. </p><p>"Luna, what is it?" Sage sighed, and I could tell her frustration was slowly coming through.</p><p>"Okay, so... remember that guy I danced with at Whisky before we had to...ya know, leave?” I refused to utter the word <em>shapeshift</em>.</p><p>"Yeah?" Sage sputtered before her next few words. "So what?"</p><p>I took a deep breath through the nose once more and wiped at my eyes, the lashes now webbed together from tears.</p><p>"He was found dead at his home in Claremont, and I think I killed him."</p>
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